Caregiving is rewarding and necessary, but even then it doesn’t have to take over every minute of your entire life. Learning how to keep some of your life for yourself can help you to have a much better caregiving experience.
Engage in Activities You Love
As you become more involved in caregiving, you’re gradually going to have less time to devote to your own pursuits. When that happens, you’re less likely to do the things that you love, which ends up contributing to your stress levels. Make a conscious effort to engage in activities that you enjoy and to make time for the things you love to do.
Give Yourself Time for You
When you’re carving out time from caregiving, make sure that you give yourself time just for you. This can mean time where you’re not doing anything at all or when you’re involved in more “frivolous” activities, such as reading for fun or meeting friends for an afternoon of fun. Sometimes you’ll need more time for yourself than you will at other times. It’s important to give yourself some flexibility so that you can meet your needs.
Exercise and Eat Right
You probably spend quite a bit of energy and time figuring out how to get your elderly loved one the exercise and the fuel she needs in order to stay healthy and active. You need the same level of attention to your diet and exercise. Talk to your doctor about how much activity you should have and whether you should consider any dietary changes.
Learn the Signs of Caregiver Stress
The more you understand what caregiver stress looks like for you, the better you’ll be able to keep it at manageable levels. Feeling tired all the time or having trouble sleeping, experiencing trouble concentrating, or even experiencing depression, anxiety, or other issues can all be your personal warning signs. Start keeping a journal so you can learn what to look for in your own behaviors and emotions. That way you can get help much more quickly.
As you remember what it feels like to live your own life while being a family caregiver, it becomes easier to keep caregiving from taking over completely.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING IN-HOME ELDER CARE IN LAS VEGAS, NV, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE. CALL TODAY 702-800-4616.